Safety starter actuating device



1958 R. BINDER SAFETY STARTER ACTUATING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 14, 1957 INVENTQFE: fi/c/m K0 B/A/ 0 m ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 26, 1958 R, BINDER 2,848,988

SAFETY STARTER ACTUATING DEVICE Filed Jan. 14, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR R/cV/M A 50140 7 ATTORNEY- 1 United States Patent f SAFETY STARTER ACTUATING DEVICE Richard Binder, Schweinfurt am Main, Germany, as-

signor to Fichtel & Sachs A. G., Schweinfurt am Mam, Germany, a corporation of Germany Application January 14, 1957, Serial No. 634,100

Claims priority, application Federal Republic of Germany February 11, 1956 Claims. (Cl. 123-179) The present invention relates to a safety device for the starting of motors. More particularly, it relates to a starter actuating device especially suited for vehicles with automatic clutches, the device permitting the starter to be actuated only when the vehicle is in neutral or ensuring that the transmission will automatically be shifted into neutral in the event that special measures are taken to start the vehicle while in gear.

There are already known safety devices which permit the starters of cars with automatic transmissions to be actuated only when the vehicle is in neutral. Frequently these starter switches are directly connected with the gear shift lever. In automobiles having automatic clutches, these known safety switches are not suflicient since, particularly in the case of automatic clutches with automatic lock, it is frequently not possible to shift the gear shift lever to neutral with the motor stopped. This is particularly so when the car is on an incline with the transmission connected to serve as a parking brake. As a result of the pressure acting on the jaws in the transmission, the transmission cannot be brought to neutral when the motor is stopped but rather there must first be at least a slight movement of the motor. The necessity of such a safety switch device is particularly great in case of a hot-start of the motor, which must generally take place in the full-gas position. The previously known warning devices which call the drivers attention solely to the fact that the car is in gear are not sutficient since some skill is required in simultaneously actuating the starter, and as soon as the motor starts moving, shifting the gear shift lever to neutral.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide means whereby under normal operation the starter of an engine, such as that of an automobile, can be actuated only when the vehicle is in neutral.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a safety starter actuating device as set forth above which can be overcome through a deliberate eifort so that the engine can be started even if in gear.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide such a device with means whereby immediately and automatically after the starter is actuated with the vehicle in gear, at the very first movement of the motor the vehicle is shifted into neutral.

These and other objects and advantages are realized in accordance with the present invention wherein the switch for the starter of an automobile motor is operatively connected with the gear shift lever in such manner that it can normally be closed only when the vehicle is in neutral. In the event that the car is in gear, however, the switch can still be closed if a special effort is made. The connection is such that immediately following starting the vehicle will automatically be brought into neutral.

The invention will now be described more particularly with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 'is a perspective view showing the disposition of the starting mechanism relative to the gear shifting and steering apparatus of an automobile;

Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the starting lever in the neutral position of the gearing;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section through the starting lever in normal starting position; and

Fig. 4 is a cross-section along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to Fig. 1, a steering column 10 carries a steering wheel 11 in conventional manner. The column 10 also supports housing 12 for the end of a gear shift lever 13, a shift bar 14 connecting the lever 13 with the gearing (not shown). A second housing 15 is also.

supported by column 10 and includes a switch mechanism 16 for the starter of the vehicle (not shown). A starter actuating lever 17 is operatively connected with the shift bar 14 in the manner shown in 2 to 4.

Opposite housing 15, the bar 14 is provided with a non-circular cross-section, shown as a square 18. A bushing 19 with a square aperture surrounds square portion 18 and permits the bar 14 to bedisplaced longitudinally. A boss 20 defining a circular opening is provided at the end of lever 17 and between boss 20 and bushing 19 there is positioned a resilient sleeve 21 such as pretensioned rubber. A collar 22 on housing 15 together with a cover 23 serve to position the bushing 19 and permit a small amount of play in longitudinal direction.

The starter actuating lever 17 is provided with a projection 24 which in neutral position of the gear shift lever 13 directly overlies a pushbutton 25 of the switch mechanism 16. The starter switch mechanism 16 also includes a contact spring 26 and a contact 27 which is connected by a conductor 28 with the starter (not shown).

The apparatus functions as follows:

With the vehicle in neutral the gear shift lever 13 occupies the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4. By applying a downward force to the starter actuating lever 17 the lever is displaced against the action of sleeve 21 until it assumes the position A shown in Fig. 3, in which the projection 24 depresses pushbutton 25 so as to displace contact spring 26 and complete the electrical circuit to the starter or a starter actuating solenoid (not shown).

If the car is in gear, however, then the gear shift lever 13 will occupy either of positions B or C as shown in broken lines in Fig. 4. Displacement of lever 17 will not efiect depression of pushbutton 25 because the projection 24 and pushbutton 25 are out of alignment. Consequently, the contact spring 26 will not be displaced and the starter will not be actuated.

The starter can be actuated when the car is in gear only by pivoting lever 17 about bar 14 as an axis until the lever 17 is brought into the central position in which its projection 24 overlies pushbutton 25. This can be accomplished by exertion of force to deform the rubber sleeve 21 and when the lever 17 is centrally positioned it can be depressed downwardly into position C as shown in Fig. 3 to actuate the starter.

As soon as the motor is actuated by the starter, the lateral pressure on the clutch jaws of the transmission vanishes and the deforming force on sleeve 21 causes the shift bar 14 to rotate until the deforming force is released. This rotation causes the gear shift lever 13 to be rotated until it assumes the neutral position in which it overlies the starter actuating lever 17.

In the event that the car is in gear at the outset but is not under load, then the initial rotation of the lever 17 will cause the gear shift lever 13 to be displaced into neutral position.

It can be seen that one of the fundamental features of the invention resides in the fact that means are pro- Patented Aug. 26, 1 958.

greater detail in Figs 3' vided which permit resilient relative displacement in two planes between the gear shift lever and shift bar on one hand and the starter actuating mechanism on the other hand. The resilient force is exerted in a plane perpendicular to the shift bar and acts on the shift bar so as to return the latter to a position corresponding to neutral and it can also act to permit displacement at right angles to the first plane, i. e., in a plane in which the shift bar lies. In place of a rubber sleeve, other resilient means may be provided to permit the dual relative displacement.

With heavy vehicles where the force required to shift gears is oftentimes considerable, auxiliary means may be provided to return the gearing into neutral position once the motor has been started, in the event that it is started while in gear. Alternatively, a foot operated starter actuating lever may be provided to effect relative displacement between the two levers since this will permit greater force to be applied and thus facilitate return of the gearing to neutral position by the deforming force once the motor has been started.

Other changes and modifications can be made embodying the novel concept and it is intended that they be embraced by the annexed claims.

What I claim is:

1. A safety switching device for the starter of an engine provided with a lever for shifting gears, comprising a starter actuating lever operatively connected with said gear shifting lever for displacement in two directions relative thereto, and switch means disposed so that upon displacement of said starter actuating lever in a first direction with said gear shifting lever in neutral position said switch means is closed for energizing said starter, Whereas when said gear shifting lever is not in neutral position said switch means can be closed by displacement of said starter actuating lever in a second direction in addition to displacement in said first direction.

2. A safety switching device as defined in claim 1, including a resilient member disposed between said gear shifting lever and said starter actuating lever, displacement of said starter actuating lever in said second direction producing resilient deformation of said resilient member, the deforming force acting on said gear shifting lever to return the latter to neutral position automatically following starting of the engine.

3. In a vehicle having an engine, provided with a starter, a lever for shifting gears, and a shift bar connecting said gear shifting lever with the gears; a safety switching device for said starter comprising a starter actuating lever, a resiliently deformable sleeve disposed between said starter actuating lever and said shift bar, whereby said starter actuating lever normally follows the movements of said gear shifting lever but can be displaced relative thereto upon deformation of said sleeve, and a switch controlling energizing of said starter, said switch being positioned so that it i closed upon displacement of said starter actuating lever in a first direction when said gear shifting lever is in neutral, whereas when said gear shifting lever is out of neutral it is necessary to resiliently displace said starter actuating lever in a second direction in addition to displacement in said first direction in order to close said switch.

4. A safety switching device as defined in claim 3, including a pushbutton on said switch and a projection on said starter actuating lever, said pushbutton and said projection being normally spaced from but in alignment with each other when said gear shifting lever is in neutral whereby upon displacement of said starter actuating lever in said first direction said pushbutton is depressed by said projection.

5. In a vehicle having an engine provided with a starter, a lever for shifting gears supported by the steering post of the vehicle, and a shift bar connecting said gear shifting lever with the gears; a safety switching device for said starter comprising a starter actuating lever, a resiliently deformable sleeve pretensioned between said starter actuating lever and said shift bar whereby said starter actuating lever and said gear shifting lever normally move together, a projection provided on said starter actuating lever, and a normally open switch operatively supported by said steering post, said switch including a pushbutton in alignment with said projection of said starter actuating lever when said gear shifting lever is in neutral, whereby upon displacing said starter actuating lever in a plane including said shift bar said projection depresses said pushbutton to energize said starter, whereas when said gear shifting lever is out of neutral it is additionally necessary to displace said starter actuating lever in a plane perpendicular to said shift bar so as to produce the alignment of said pushbutton and projection, the last mentioned displacement of said starter actuating lever placing a deforming force on said sleeve which causes said shift bar together with said gear shifting lever to be rotated and to resume neutral position as soon as the motor is started.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,374,303 Osborne Apr. 24, 1945 

